In a long-awaited speech, President Joe Biden shared his administration's views on voting rights, reacting to recent efforts by state legislatures.
“Some things in America should be simple and straightforward, the most important of those things, the most fundamental of those things, is the right to vote – the right to vote freely," Biden said.
He spoke Tuesday in Philadelphia pushing Congress to pass the For the People Act and making it clear "the big lie is just that, a big lie."
Former President Donald Trump and his supporters have called the 2020 election "the big lie" and questioned the results.
"The 2020 election was the most scrutinized in history," Biden said Tuesday, recalling the number of lawsuits filed by Trump and his campaign, audits, and recounts - all of which have not found significant voter fraud or errors.
Biden's speech comes a day after Democrats in Texas' state legislature flew to DC to stop a Republican-backed effort to change voting rights in that state.
"They want to make it so hard to vote they hope people won't vote at all. That's what this is about," Biden said, promising his administration will "challenge it rigorously."
Other states have also recently made changes to their early voting and absentee voting rights, including Florida and Georgia.
"Whether it's foreign interference or misinformation from within," Biden said, state lawmakers have to stand up and protect the “sacred right to vote."
"Will you deny the will of the people? Will you ignore their voices? We have to ask: are you on the side of truth or lies?" Biden posed.
The For the People Act includes several measures that would try to establish nationwide limits for absentee and early voting. It has passed the House of Representatives and now sits waiting for the Senate.
